what flash should I save up for?

Bill16

Senior Member
Hey everyone! :D
I'm a hobbiest when it comes to photography, and I have no intention of going into the money making side of photography. I have no studio and odds are I never will. I have a D3100 now but I have every intention of getting a full frame Nikon as soon as I figure out how to get enough money to make it happen. Macro photos are my favorite and I hope to take some landscape shots when I get the chance. But I'm often stuck indoors and I want to get one good flash that will work the best for me that I don't have to be a genious to use. I will likely use it on camera mostly right now, but I can see myself wanting to use it off camera at times eventually.

I'm not sure what else I can tell you that would be helpful. So what would you recommend? :D
 

donaldjledet

Senior Member
Bill I'mlike you really new but I have the speedlight SB700 from Nikon.
And just learning about flashes and light, I really like it.
But as you know here someone with a lot of knowledge will be able to help more.
 

Bill16

Senior Member
Thank you Donald! I really appreciate you letting me know about the SB700 working good for you! How much did it cost?
Bill I'mlike you really new but I have the speedlight SB700 from Nikon.
And just learning about flashes and light, I really like it.
But as you know here someone with a lot of knowledge will be able to help more.
 

carguy

Senior Member
While I really like my SB700, I bought it before finding sites like this one. If I did it over, I would by a comparable Yongnuo speedlight with TTL capability for on camera flash work. They are MUCH cheaper and would do what I need.

SB-700 retail is about $325.
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Bill, the SB-700 is the one to get.....seriously. It's the one I call "idiot proof"...so if I can use it, anyone can! :) And...it has a Commander Mode! Retail price for those where I live run around $340 Cdn, so maybe slightly cheaper where you are. Another thing to consider is the new SB-300 being introduced. I have no idea what the price is on that particular flash, but from what I read, it will be well priced and has some very nice features, and.....even easier to use than the SB-700.
 

Steve B

Senior Member
B&H has the SB-700 listed at $326.95. The SB-300 is listed at $146.95 and should be available by the end of August. The one thing I did notice about the SB-300 is from the specs it doesn't look like the head swivels. If you want something really easy to use, wait for the SB-300. If you want something that is a little more feature rich, go with the SB-700. If you get really serious about macro you may want to look at the R1-C1 system in the future but it is pricey.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
I have an SB-600 and a SB-910a... I want the SB-300 because it's the smallest(lightest weight)... The 600,700,910 are all too big to walk around with... and I find myself not using them when I should because of the bulk, but the built-in just isn't enough...
 

Steve B

Senior Member
One other thing I just noticed is that the flash head does not tilt down on the SB-300. The SB-700 will tilt down to -7 degrees. This can be useful when shooting macro although in most cases you will probably have the flash off-camera anyway.
 

Bill16

Senior Member
Thank you all for helping me! It sounds like the SB-700 is the flash I should concentrate on. Any opinions on used? Or is used a big mistake for flashes?
 

Steve B

Senior Member
If it was me I would purchase new. I have heard a few horror stories about buying used flashes.

For the price of the SB-300 I may just pick one up for when the SB-910 is overkill. Looks like it would be nice for stuff like family gatherings
 

donaldjledet

Senior Member
Good choice there Bill.

I don't think used is a bad choice , like from adorama or B&H.
With warranty. Or even local camera store.
Like mine had a Nikkor 10-24mm. Lens used for $300.00
 

carguy

Senior Member
While I like my SB-700, the lack of a sync port is one thing that surprises me. Am I in the minority in thinking $326 is a bit much for a recreational photographer when there are options like the Yongnuo YN-565EX out there? It has many of the same features (Zoom, swivel, tilt, TTL etc) as the Nikon, and more while costing only $125.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
The Yongnuo flashes are a recent thing... they didn't exist 2 years ago when a lot of folks were looking for flashes... I'm sure Nikon has taken a hit with the Yongnuo price points...
 

Bill16

Senior Member
Have you had the chance to use one? Do you know if it will hold up as well as the more expensive Nikon flash? I like the cheaper price a lot, but I don't want to sacrifice quality and durability. :)
While I like my SB-700, the lack of a sync port is one thing that surprises me. Am I in the minority in thinking $326 is a bit much for a recreational photographer when there are options like the Yongnuo YN-565EX out there? It has many of the same features (Zoom, swivel, tilt, TTL etc) as the Nikon, and more while costing only $125.
 
The SB-700 is a dream to use. Bounce and diffuser it came with give a great result with no effort. Here is a shot I did this week with the SB-700, bounced off the ceiling and using the diffuser

dsc_6245.jpg


Not the best subject in the world but the lighting is nice and even with pleasing shadows.
 

Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Jack... My understanding with Nikon's Factory Refurbs is they go through the whole thing, and make sure everything meets the original factory specs... Standard Factory refurb has a 90 day warranty... Some/many Nikon dealers (being factory authorized service centers) extend that to 6 months...
 

Bill16

Senior Member
Are new ones warrantied? I ask because I found new ones going for $299.95 free shipping and it seems that there is only $23.00 difference price wise anyway.
 
Top